


The Blades in Our Hands

by planetundersiege



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Collaboration, Fighting, Galra Reverse Bang 2018, Gen, Illustrations, Injury, Montage, Pre series, Time Ship, Voltron, War, blade of marmora, vld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 01:58:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16007909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/planetundersiege/pseuds/planetundersiege
Summary: Krolia, a young galra decides to join the resistance to fight for a better life, meeting Kolivan. He turns into her mentor.[Illustations by pyrestoneatelier on tumblr]





	The Blades in Our Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Okay guys, this is a collab for the galra reverse bang event. I got paired with pyrestoneatelier on tumblr who made the illustrations that this fic is based of. Pyrestoneatelier is an amazing artist and you should totally check out their tumblr.

Krolia took a deep breath as she stood in the crowded ship alongside a large quantity of new recruits. They had all just finished their training, they were fit to join the galran army, and they did, but also had another goal. All of these young galrans, children who could barely call themselves adults, now watched as their ship would enter into the secret base of the Blade of Marmora. These young galrans were different, because they wanted to bring peace to the universe.

That’s the reason Krolia had applied atleast, after beating a few weaker recruits for the army, a part of her had snapped as the commander had ordered them executed, because there was no place for weakness in the army. It had made her blood boil, made her eyes open to see everything what was wrong with the world. So when she had heard of the Blades not even a decaphoebe later, she had applied immediately. A feat shared with all these other strangers currently standing around her. Most of them had some kind of injury, probably from battle. The galra empire wasn’t messing around when it came to military training, after all, only one third of everyone applying survives the training. You get executed, or if you’re lucky enough, forced to be a gladiator or are shipped to a labor camp instead.

That’s not a fate anyone deserved, the galra using everyone else was outright wrong, yet no one seemed the realize it. The galra called it “privilege”, she called it bullshit. No race should have an easy life if others had to die for it, no life was useless. If people couldn’t defend themselves, they still deserved to live. She guess that was why she was standing in this crowd, and the fact that she wasn’t the only one who realized the dark truth behind the empire was comforting in a strange, twisted way. They would be fighting war with war, they knew that. A lot of people were going to die, but instead of power, they would be fighting for the greater good.

The ship inched closer, a voice said that they would be able to enter in less than five doboshes, and as they did, they would get shown to their rooms and get their uniforms. Then training and lectures would begin, along with galrans over and over again telling them that most of them wouldn’t survive until the end of the war, though that was a given to Krolia. The war could end in a few quintants, or in millions of decaphoebes. What she meant was that she willingly would die, the lives of the many outlives the lives of the few, anyone who joined the military knew that. And even though she despised the regime, she would follow “victory or death”, she would fight for the blades until she died.

“Are we there yet?”

“I hope so, I’m tired and I don’t like crowds”

“I get you there. Can’t wait until we get our rooms, I need to sleep”

The ones speaking where two young males, one pure blooded galra, and a half breed with green skin. They could hardly call themselves adults, Krolia was atleast two decaphoebes older than them, and obviously more mature. She just sighed, those young males spoke easy and about relaxing.

“Are you here to relax or are you here to take your job seriously? Most of us are going to die, and you’ll be the first ones if you walk around with that attitude. Why did you even sign up for the blades in the first place?”

The men was taken aback by Krolia, not expecting her to interfere.

“Well, we joined so we could be part of the revolution, and to get out of that damn army, way too much work”

What and arrogant child.

“Well then you certainly joined the wrong group. Being part of the blades isn’t just sitting around all day relaxing while holding your thumbs. We are going to work hard, hit our limits and risk our lives every single day. Our lives as individuals don’t matter, if you have to stay behind on a ship set to explode, you stay if it means the rest of the crew aren’t set back because they need to get you. You need to be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, because believe me, I’d rather be killed fighting for justice than by some bored officer who doesn’t think I’m strong enough for the army. If you’re not ready to die for the Blades, why are you here?”

The halfbreed galra got an anxious look and took a step backwards, bumping into a female two heads taller than him. She hissed and told him to keep to himself.

“How can you say stuff like that? We haven’t even officially joined yet.”

“You aren’t fit to join if you aren’t loyal from the very beginning. Hasn’t years of military training already taught you that?”

Before she could say anything more, the ship entered, and right in front of her, she saw the base. It was enormous, way larger than she had anticipated, and a few ships were already docked to it, also possible filled with new potential members for the blades. It was all really exciting seeing it all in person, it gave Krolia a glimpse of hope for the future, maybe they finally had the chance to beat the empire and return the world to its original state of peace and prosperity?

She could only hope. Because what was the world without it? Then they would have lost long ago, and she would never give in. To silence her, the galra would have to kill her, but even then, the idea of freedom would never disappear. There would always be more galra willing to betray the empire and risk their lives for such a noble cause. It’s a shame not all galra joined the blades, they were an extremely small minority, but according to older members, the newcomers had almost doubled in the last century.

“All future blades, get in line. You'll enter the base. Go to any of our officers and tell them your new ID number and they’ll give you the coordinates to your dorms. In one varga the first lecture begins”

Most new recruits but their hand towards their hearts, giving a salute towards the blades as the doors to the base opened. Krolia was lucky to be near the front and was one of the firsts to exit the shuttle. As she looked around, she saw a standard base, dark gray metal walls and floors, some outposts and holo screens, and don’t forget the blades standing in front of them. They were many, and Krolia quickly looked around until one galra caught her eye. His skin was a blue ish purple along with some red marks on his head and ears, which were a bit fluffy. His white hair was in a long braid that was laying over his shoulder. He lacked a tail from what Krolia could see, and had completely yellow eyes like most of the species. Krolia was the odd one out because of her purple irises and black pupils. He had a calm yet serious exterior, which signalized that he had done this before, probably a veteran.

That was impressive, since most blades died within five decaphoebes of service, but this man looked middle aged. If he had joined young, like most new recruits, that means he must have been in the blades for a really long time, possibly being one of the higher ups. Atleast she got that impression, he looked like an authority figure.

She immediately made him her destination and began walking towards him before anyone else got a chance. As she got closer, she realized that he was much taller than her, not that it should matter. Most galra are taller than her, but him, even though he was just a bit taller than the average galra male, he looked terrifying. Best to be on his good side.

But as she stupid face to face with him, she saw him giving her a smile, barely visible, but still there.

“Name’s Kolivan, one of the officers of the blades. And you?”

“I’m Krolia, ID number 1185-321-9, it’s an honor to meet you sir.”

Kolivan nodded.

“Likewise. I just sent you the coordinates to your dorm. Good luck.”

He took Krolia’s hand and shook it, sort of sealing the deal of being here now. Krolia gladly shook back, but remained from smiling, she couldn’t let happiness get in her way. She was here because of a war, and she couldn’t allow herself to relax or become unprepared. Yet, this felt like a new beginning, yes, all those feelings went through her as she shook the hand of the galra she would soon call her mentor.

[](https://imgbb.com/)  
  
…

  
Krolia ran through the obstacle course, holding her blade in hand. She screamed as she attack the training robot, slicing it in half. She felt sweat drop from on her purple forehead, yet didn’t care. She had to fight these robots, clear the course, especially since almost all of her teammates had been hit in the exercise and failed, being thrown back into the waiting area. Her heart was beating as she bared her fangs and turned around, choosing her next target.

A fellow new blade fought the robot but got hit and thrown out of the arena, yes, that would do. She ran and quickly cut it, but missed, and the next thing she felt was electricity across her suit, giving her a slight (non lethal) shock. She was hit, and the floor opened up below her, and she fell.

The waiting area was lit, several new blades groaning in pain as they tried to stand up, and as Krolia looked up, Kolivan stood there.

“You failed the exercise, you were to reckless and didn’t think things through, but I must say, you got fighting in you. Some more training and you’ll be a good blade.”

The young galra let out a smile.

“Let me at them again, I’m not giving up until I beat this level.”

Kolivan chuckled.

“That’s the spirit. Next time, try eliminating the strays and do your best for the big cluster in the middle to split up, that way some blades won’t be apprehended by twenty bots.”

“Got it.”

  
…

  
“Ouch.”

“Be still, I’m trying to help.”

“I know, but it hurts.”

“You mean you, Kolivan, the fiercest blade of all can't handle getting a wound cleaned?”

“It hurts way more than actual combat. The adrenaline rush makes you immune to pain.”

“Of course I know that, I’ve got a few scars myself now. I may be young but I’ve seen battles, and I’m not going to let your wound get infected so just let me clean it. Trust me, you’re going to thank me.”

Kolivan bared his fangs as Krolia once again put the burning liquid against his skin, killing all the bacteria while also healing the wound, a scab quickly forming that would turn into a scar in a few quintants. Kolivan had lots of them, this was just the newest one to his collection, and Krolia wouldn’t let a wound get infected again. So she carefully wiped away the red blood from around the wound, making sure everything was clean before she bandaged his leg. Not to loose, but it should be firm, but not too much, he needed blood circulation in the leg.

She finished quickly and put the medical supplies to the side before looking at her mentor, clearly tired after this procedure. Of course he was, before cleaning Krolia had removed glass shards from the wound, a new trick in galra blasters were particles that reacted once the laser blasted the skin. It already cut the skin like a blade would, but the particles turned into glass, making it harder for the body of the victim to heal.

But Krolia has removed them all.

“Thanks Krolia, these new blasters are the worst.”

She laughed.

“Don’t get me started on that. Now go get some rest, you never know when the blade will need you on another mission.”

  
…

  
“Pass the nunvil, will you?”

“Of course!”

Happy laughter was heard all over the base, as the tipsy blades shared drink out of drink as happiness and pride spread through them. Some were singing, some were dancing, and some were just enjoying the moment as it lasted, taking shot after shot of the beverage.

Krolia had only taken one glass, Feeling a bit lightheaded, but that was fine. She would not drink until she passed out like most would do, but she would enjoy the moment of pride. They never had a chance to celebrate, with the huge death toll and all, but this had been special. This mission, no one had died, and they had gotten extremely vital information. They got more than they thought they would, and such a rarity had to be celebrated. It was also a perfect time to finally make her group of recruits full members, so this event was to celebrate as well.

Krolia was no longer a trainee, but would soon be able to mentor her own, along with all the other from her group. It was a moment of pride. A milestone.

They were still in the middle of a war, and most of them would die soon, but right now all they wanted to do was to let loose, have a few drinks and forget about the war for a few hours. They deserved it.

“Enjoying it?”, Kolivan asked as he took a sip of his own nunvil, smiling at Krolia. She nodded.

“Yes, it’s a nice change of atmosphere.”

“Indeed. We might be fighting a war, but if we never had fun, we would lose our spirits and forget why we fight in the first place. It’s so that one day, we can be carefree like this, without the tyranny of the empire. We do it so that fun can be the norm, so we can drink nunvil and relax in the sun of a tropical planet.”

Krolia laughed.

“Have you gotten too much to drink, old man?”

“Perhaps, but I’m proud of you. Not many get to experience one of these nights. You’ve come far Krolia, you’re not the same kit you were when you joined. Now, do you want another glass? As a now fully fledged marmora member, you deserve it.”

  
…

  
Silence was the only thing present at the Marmora base, all the galra doing nothing. Their spirits were low, most were injured, and all they did today was to mourn their dead. A lot more than usual.

This mission had taken them by surprise, the empire had been prepared for them, meaning there was a spy among them. Just thinking about it made a flame of anger burn in Krolia’s heart. One of the people she saw as a sibling was responsible for the death of over two hundred Marmora soldiers just today, it was sickening.

They could have been alive, but no, they had been massacred, walking into enemy territory like prey walking straight into the den of the predator. She had heard so many screams over the coms, so many voices disappearing mid sentence followed by a gunshot. It was disgusting.

She knew what she signed up for when she joined the blade, but this was sick. Usually only two or three blades died on a mission, and they usually did so to sacrifice themselves. The lives of the many outweighs the life of the few after all, Krolia would give her own life without a second thought if that meant all other blades got out unharmed and with the info they needed.

But these weren’t heroic deaths. These deaths shouldn’t have been necessary. She had lost so many friends today, she couldn’t even name all of them, it became a blur. But the feelings were there, a guilt pulling her down, making her shake as she cried. This was a day no one wanted to remember.

“Krolia, are you okay?”

It was Kolivan, the officer looking at her worried yet understanding. This probably wasn’t his mass massacre, but it probably wouldn’t be the last.

She just shook her head.

“No. How could I be? They’re all gone, Zedja, Alinem, Vallor, Wesq, Gherge, and so many more. They died today for naught, thanks to that damn traitor somewhere in the base. Now less twenty percent of all the people I enlisted with are still alive.”

She looked down at the ground.

“Why was I the one to survive?”

“You know why, we still need brave galra who will fight for our freedom. Knowledge or death, and freedom requires sacrifices. This was a tragedy, but we have to keep fighting, to honor them. Never forget their name, and fight for a world they died for, the world they fought for. That’s the way to honor them, not letting their sacrifices be for naught.”

“I swear, I will kill every single galra that has to be killed, I will lay down my own life if that means the empire dies. Knowledge or death.”

  
…

  
Jump.

Slice.

Dodge.

Cut.

Block.

Krolia screamed in rage as she fought the druid, but every time she thought she landed a hit, it teleported away, only to appear in a place that was well away from her advantage.

Beads of sweat was forming on her forehead, she showed her fangs as she used her blades, trying to get a hit of the enemy. It had infiltrated the Marmora base, no one knew how, but it had to be killed so it wouldn’t give the location away to the empire. All of them would be killed within seconds, and all decades of fighting for freedom would have been for naught.

That could not happen, Krolia would die before that day. And so would Kolivan.

The older galra fiercely attacked the druid with everything that he got, managing to land a hit or two, but most missed. A druid was not a normal enemy, the dead bodies around them standing as proof to the statement.

But even though it was a hard fight, neither Krolia or Kolivan gave up, and they seemed to be getting the advantage, until…

The druid hit Kolivan with a blast, it’s hand glowing with force, and as the galra got paralyzed, the druid took Kolivan’s blade and cut. Cut right at his head, leaving a long mark over his eye as blood seeped out, along with a long cut on his stomach that tore his uniform to pieces. The pain was too much, and before he could think, he felt backwards onto the floor.

“Kolivan!”

Krolia ran up to the man, cradling him in her arms to look for signs of life, yes. And as she looked up, the druid was closing in, ready to kill.

Not on her watch.

She bared her fangs, growling.

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU DAMN BASTARD!”


End file.
